This invention relates to security systems for wager-based gaming machines such as slot machines or video poker machines.
A wide variety of devices can be used as components of a wager-based gaming machine such as a slot machine or video poker machine. Some examples of these devices are lights, coupon dispensers, card readers, bill validators, coin acceptors, coin hoppers, display panels, key pads, and gaming controllers. Many of these devices are built into the gaming machine while some are grouped into separate modules such as top boxes which may be placed on top of the machine.
Some gaming machine devices are considered more critical to the gaming machine operations than others. In particular, devices that control the input and output of money from the gaming machine are generally considered critical devices. The gaming controller, which controls the features of the game played on the gaming machine including the pay-out of a particular game as well as the gaming devices which output game pay-outs, is one of the most critical gaming devices, if not the most critical device. Specific examples of other critical devices include card readers, bill validators, ticket coupon readers, and coin acceptors which control the input of money into the gaming machine and note stackers, token dispensers, drop boxes and ticket/coupon dispensers which control the output of money from the gaming machine.
Access to a particular gaming machine device depends on the type of device. Input devices such as bill validators, coin acceptors, and card readers or output devices such as coupon dispensers or token dispensers are directly accessible. These devices have at least one access mechanism on the outside of the gaming machine so that the gaming machine may either accept money or indicia of credits from players desiring to play the game or pay-out money to a player playing a game. However, access to the mechanisms controlling the operation of these devices is usually behind one or more doors provided on the gaming machine exterior. The gaming controller and the money storage devices such as bill stackers and drop boxes are less accessible. These devices are usually only accessible after opening one or more doors or other barriers which limit access to these critical devices.
The doors which allow access to the critical devices are often secured with keyed locks. For security, when any of these doors are opened, the gaming machine stops normal game play operation and switches to an attention state. Thus, it is necessary to detect whether a door is open or closed via an electronic means so that the operating software utilized by the gaming controller can take appropriate action.
Another access mechanism to gaming devices including bill validators, coin acceptors, token dispensers, gaming controllers, and coupon dispensers is through wires which accept and transmit signals which control the operation of the device. Typically, during the operation of the gaming machine, many of the associated gaming devices are controlled in some manner by the gaming controller located within the gaming machine. The control of a gaming device is enabled by the wires which connect a gaming device to the gaming controller. For example, when a player is playing a game and receives a pay-out during the course of a game, the gaming controller may send out a signal to a coupon dispenser, located in some other part of the gaming machine away from the gaming controller, instructing the coupon dispenser to dispense a coupon representing the pay-out. Thus, access may be gained to a gaming device, via the wires connected to the gaming device.
A common mode of theft for gaming machines involves accessing the devices which control the input and output of money to the gaming machine through some access mechanism and manipulating the devices in some manner to obtain an illegal pay-out. For example, one type of theft might involve simply taking money from a drop box while a gaming machine is being accessed for maintenance. Another type of theft might involve illegally gaining access to the gaming controller and reprogramming the gaming controller to pay-out an illegal jack pot. Another type of theft might involve compromising the wires to a coupon dispenser and sending a signal instructing it to dispense coupons with some monetary value.
One method for preventing theft is installing a security system which monitors the various access mechanisms of a gaming machine. Typically, security systems of this type monitor access to the various entry ports within the gaming machine as well as the wires to some gaming devices. The security system monitors access to the entry port by sending out signals to sensors able to detect whether access to the entry port has occurred. Usually, the entry port contains a sensor device that forms some type of closed circuit when the entry port is closed and an open circuit when the entry port is open.
Security monitoring of access to the gaming machine is usually implemented in some manner by the gaming controller during normal operations of the gaming machine in conjunction with some security monitoring hardware independent of the gaming controller. The security monitoring by the gaming controller is implemented while the gaming machine is receiving power from an external power source such as AC power from a power outlet. However, when such power is turned off, security monitoring may cease, providing opportunities for theft or other interference.
In one arrangement, a security monitoring system that is separate from the gaming controller stores data regarding security events (such as a door opening) even when the gaming controller is powered down. When an entry port is opened, some information regarding this event is stored by the security monitoring system. For example, the security monitoring system might store information regarding whether a particular entry port was accessed during a particular period of time. This information can later be used to determine when a theft has occurred or when tampering with the gaming machine has occurred. However, such recorded information does not generally help to detect security breaches in real-time.